Iguazú Falls
iguazú falls 1.jpg iguazú falls 2.jpg iguazú falls 3.jpg iguazú falls 4.jpg iguazú falls 5.jpg iguazú falls 6.jpg iguazú falls 7.jpg iguazú falls 8.jpg Iguazú falls 13.jpg Iguazú falls 12.jpg Iguazú falls 11.jpg iguazú 15.jpg iguazú 16.jpg Introduction Cataratas do Iguaçu or Cataratas del Iguazú are waterfalls of the Iguazú River located on the border of the Brazilian State of Paraná and the Argentine Province of Misiones. The falls divide the river into the upper and lower Iguazú. The Río Iguazú starts at the city of Curitiba and runs for the most part of the course in Brazil and at the end at the border of Brazil and Argentina. The waterfall system consists of 275 falls along 2.7 kilometres of the Río Iguazú. Some of the individual falls are up to 82 metres in height, though the majority are about 64 metres. The Devil's Throat (Garganta del Diablo in Spanish or Garganta do Diabo in Portuguese), a U-shaped, 82-metre-high, 150-metre-wide and 700-metre-long cataract, is the most impressive of all, and marks the border between Argentina and Brazil. Two-thirds of the falls are within Argentine territory. About 900 metres of the 2.7-kilometer length does not have water flowing over it. The edge of the basalt cap recedes by 3 mm per year. The water of the lower Iguazú collects in a canyon that drains in the Paraná River, a short distance downstream from the Itaipu Dam. The junction of the water flows marks the border between Brazil, Argentina, and Paraguay. There are points in the cities of Foz do Iguaçu in Brazil, Puerto Iguazú in Argentina, and Ciudad del Este in Paraguay, which have access to the Río Iguazú where the borders of all three countries can be seen, a popular tourist attraction for visitors to the three cities. The falls are shared by the Parque Nacional de Iguazú, Argentina and Parque Nacional do Iguaçu, Brazil. The two parks were designated UNESCO World Heritage Sites in 1984 and 1987, respectively. On the Brazilian side there is a long walkway along the canyon with an extension to the lower base of the Devil's Throat. Helicopter rides offering aerial views of the falls are available only on the Brazilian side. From Foz do Iguaçu airport the park can be reached by taxi or bus to entrance of the park. There is an entrance fee to the park. Free frequent buses are provided to various points within the park. The town of Foz do Iguaçu is about 20 kilometres away and the airport is in between the park and the town. The Argentine access is facilitated by the Rainforest Ecological Train and various walkways. The train brings visitors directly to the entrance of Devil's Throat as well as the upper and lower trails. The Paseo Garganta del Diablo is a one-kilometre-long trail that brings the visitor directly over the falls of the Devil's Throat. Other walkways allow access to the elongated stretch of falls on the Argentine side and to the ferry that connects to San Martin island. Location 25°41'43"S 54°26'12"W Near the Triple Frontier between Argentina, Brazil and Paraguay, 20 kilometres from Foz do Iguaçu, 18 kilometres from Puerto Iguazú. Park Fees Brazilian Side (Parque Nacional do Iguaçu): R$20.50 Argentina Side(Parque Nacional de Iguazú): AR$40 Weather The climate at the Iguazú Falls is sub-tropical, with two distinctive seasons; one humid and hot in the summer and another, dry and cold, in the winter. Accommodation Accommodation is widely available at both Foz do Iguaçu and Puerto Iguazú. Category:Brazil Category:Argentina Category:Iguazú Falls Category:Iguaçu Falls Category:Foz do Iguaçu Category:Puerto Iguazú Category:UNESCO World Heritage Site